ATI Cynicism

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

My lucky self gets to take the Med-Surg ATI in a few days. If I don't pass at level 2, I have to miss the first day of clinical next quarter in order to re-take the test, as instructional staff can't be bothered to come in earlier in the instructional week. While I do not anticipate having to retake the exam, it's a honking huge test covering two-and-a-half quarters' worth of material, making lots of studying necessary. I'm getting kinda frustrated with the thing, and I bet others on this board are too, so I'm starting this thread.

Please note: I do not intend for this to be a "my skool makez us pass @ lvl 1, that's so unfair!" thread. I want to see humor, sarcasm, and cynicism about this evaluation tool. Here's my first three comments to start things off:

The ATI exam encourages the "assessment and least invasive intervention" model, except when it doesn't.

The best way to study for the ATI seems to be to highlight all the important parts in the ATI book, and then study the stuff that's not highlighted.

The last time the med-surg ATI was updated was back in 2007, years before I even started my program. There are some glaring conflicts between what the ATI book/test says and what current evidence-based practice says, and somehow we're being held responsible for both.